Descendents of the Rose: A New Rose Appears
by SubtleLux
Summary: This is an original fanfiction featuring the jrock band Versailles. I do not own Versailles in any way shape or form, and no disrespect is intended. This story also contains an original character Miette, who is my own creation. If you are a fan of the band plase read and enjoy! Features Kamijo, Hizaki, Teru, Masashi, and Yuki.
1. Chapter 1

The evening was still an hour off when the carriage carrying its contents and passengers appeared over the hill next to the expansive French Chateau. The carriage, though luxurious did not shield the occupants inside from the bumps and bruises that came from travelling along a dirt road. Among the people safely ensconced in the carriage there were three, not counting the coachmen, a stout older gentlemen and two young and well-dressed younger women barely out of their teens. It was the beginning of spring, but already the heat was oppressive and the man in the carriage who was already overweight was all but sticking his head out the window to catch the breeze. One of the young women, a beautiful blonde in a tight fitting and expensive dress the color of roses was also furiously fanning herself. "Really father, must you stick your head out of the window as if you were a dog?" The blonde asked. The man let out a sharp and deep laugh. "My dear daughter Genevieve, if I was a dog I would have jumped out the window and run through the fields long ago." The man replied, but he relented and stuck his head back in the carriage with as much dignity as he could muster. Here was Reginald LaFleur, father to Genevieve and unlikely guardian to the third person in the carriage, Miette LaFleur. Even though she carried the name LaFleur she was only a cousin to the two people sitting next to her, and yet they had taken her in when her parents and older brother had died. Miette was indebted to her cousins, and she loved them dearly and one day hoped to return their kindness. Miette shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she was not dressed in an expensive dress like her cousin, but still the heat she could feel through the fabric was causing her to perspire. She had anticipated this and thus chosen the lightest of all her dresses both in color and fabric. It was a simple and fairly unadorned grey dress with lace along the swallow taled sleeves, and her hair was tastefully arranged up and away from her neck to allow her skin to breathe better. It would also be a godsend when she was playing the piano and harp, as she was certain the dance hall would be packed with people.

Even though she carried the same name as her blonde cousin, their physical similarities were very different. Genevieve was tall, slender, with sharp features. Her hair was a crisp honey blonde and her eyes an enticing cornflower blue. Many a man had lost themselves in those eyes, much to the delight of the eternally bored Genevieve. While Miette was just as slender as Genevieve she was not as tall and her hair was a long straight brown with subtle red highlights. Her eyes were brown as well, but a rich mahogany brown like the lacquered sheen of a violin. She was also extremely pale, a result of staying inside playing her instruments or reading her books indoors for too long. But besides the physical differences Miette loved her cousin, and Genevieve tolerated Miette, which was honestly a lot when one considered the changeable personality of Genevieve. Miette looked up and smiled at her cousins while dusting off her grey and lace dress. "With this weather I think the only ones enjoying it are the dogs," she laughed as she looked at Reginald's sweating countenance. Genevieve gave her a scathing glance with a raised eyebrow but continued to fan herself and didn't say anything. Miette smiled to herself and took the opportunity to look out the window at the destination they were fast approaching. The chateau was lovely, old and sprawling. It would be the largest private residence she had ever been to, and she wondered for the first time about the people who lived there and what they were like.

She and her cousin had been invited to perform at the residence of these mysterious music lovers, something that they were becoming well known for in the upper class circles. Not that they were professional musicians or performers, but their talent was substantial enough that they would be invited to the houses of other nobles as a source of free entertainment and amusement. Also, it gave Genevieve ample opportunity to search for a rich husband. Miette started to stick her head further out of the window to take a better look at the grounds surrounding the house when she felt a slight slap from Genevieve's fan on her backside. "Get your head back inside before someone from that house sees you!" She snapped at her cousin from inside the carriage.

Miette smiled to herself but didn't immediately stick her head back inside. Her delay earned her an extra and not quite as soft hit from the fan. She laughed and finally ducked back inside the carriage just as they entered the shadow of the chateau, but not before catching a small glimpse of the inner courtyard and seeing it filled to the brim with carriages. The sound of it all hit them before they could actually see anything from the windows of their carriage, the amount of noise was almost deafening. The carriage jerked to a sudden stop and Miette was almost thrown from her seat as Genevieve and Reginald were shoved further down into theirs. Her Uncle reached out a steadying hand on Miettes' shoulder as she almost fell out of her seat. "Are you all right?" He asked her as they all stood up in confused unison. "I'm all right," she replied as she patted his hand for reassurance. Her Uncle beat his hand against the roof of the carriage to get the coachmans attention. "What's happened out there? Have we hit something or has something hit us?" He shouted through the ceiling. A muffled cry answered him, "I'm sorry sir, but with the amount of carriages already here is this as far as we can go," the coachman sounded apologetic.

Genevieve snapped her fan shut decisively. "Well, I hope we are not too far from the main house! We can't be expected to walk a great distance in our gowns and dance clothes!" Reginald smiled at his daughter and gave his daughter a small squeeze on the shoulder as reassurance. "I'm sure we are practically on their doorstep my dear, I hear they are most gracious hosts, especially where lovely young ladies are concerned." Genevieve beamed at this and nodded sagely as if she had just been given good advice.

Reginald grabbed the door handle and carefully eased it open in case there were people or carriages nearby. Outside the carriage there was a plethora of people, dozens of ladies wearing expensive and expansive gowns walked by every minute. There was an excitement in the air and it made the coming evening seem almost sparkle with it. Genevieve was the first out of the carriage, stepping down sedately with her father's hand in hers guiding her to the ground. Miette was behind her, and she held out her hand for her Uncle to take as she startesd to climb down from the carriage. At that moment her hand slipped, and instead of stepping down carefully she half fell out of the carriage landed heavily on her left foot. She stifled a cry as her knee began to crumple as well, but her Uncle grabbed her quickly by shoulder and under her arm to catch her before she hit the ground. "Miette! Are you ok? You stepped down with some force, is your ankle all right," he asked her holding her steady until she could get her balance. "Yes Uncle, I am fine, I will still be able to play tonight." She slowly put weight on her left foot, and though it was beginning to feel sore it did not seem damaged otherwise. "I am not worried about your ability to play an instrument Miette, I am worried about your health!" Miette smiled at her Uncle and at Genevieve, who looked slightly pale, as a result of the near fall from her cousin. "It's fine, besides I will be sitting down shortly and for the rest of the night as I play the harp and piano. I will not be dancing like Genevieve." To help reassure them she took several steps away from them and turned around to show she was fine.

Genevieve clapped her hands together after seeing that her cousin was unharmed. "Well, let us not waste the night Father and dear cousin. We have aristocrats to charm, do we not?" And with that she grabbed her fathers' arm and led him off towards the entrance to the house. Her Uncle let her lead him off, but gave Miette an apologetic look as she fell in line behind him. As soon as they reached the dancing hall she would slip away unnoticed and find where the instruments were set up, her Uncle and cousin would be announced into the hall and welcomed with applause. But she, being from a poor part of the family and not officially adopted (and an orphan at that) she would walk into the hall as if she were a servant. In the beginning when she came to live with them it had bothered her, but now she had accepted it as a way of life, she did not want to let the circumstances depress her. Besides, she thought to herself as she looked at the dozens of people waiting to be allowed admittance in the chateau, tonight she should be more worried about playing in front of so many people.

As Miette and her extended family waited in the courtyard below they were completely unaware that they were being watched. Watched intently, by eyes that were no longer human.


	2. Chapter 2

When they were finally allowed admittance into the chateau Miette began to look around for the servants' entrance. She spotted it off to the left side of the entranceway and tapped her Uncle and cousin on the shoulder to get their attention. "I see the servant's entrance; I will wait for you inside the dance hall by the instruments so please find me once you're in there, alright?" Her uncle gave her an answering smile while Genevieve nodded curtly, she was already in Aristocrat mode, holding her head up high and smiling in an effort to gather attention from those around her. After that Miette quietly and quickly separated herself from her cousins through the side door and made her way to where she thought (or rather hoped) the main hall would be located. This was the largest private residence she had ever visited, and she knew it would only be too easy to become lost. Through the walls in the tiny and narrow passage way she could hear the thrum of the party starting to get underway. Miette slowed her pace and finally stopped in the hallway, and placed her hands on the stone passageway to feel the vibrations from so many people being contained in one place. The reverberations were almost like an instrument itself, playing some kind of strange and discordant tune.

It was only then that she became aware of other people in the hallway with her, servants of various sizes and genders hurrying to get to their destinations, all with an anxious air about them as they struggled to ready the evening for so many guests. No one was carrying any food so it let her know that she was nowhere near the kitchens, which meant she was probably in the right hallway. Everyone seemed to be going in the same direction so she was certain she would end up in the dance hall if she simply followed the hallway. Her hunch paid off because she finally emerged from the narrow hallway to the dancing hall in all its grandeur. Miette stopped and stared, open mouthed, taking in the sheer magnitude of the room. After the long carriage ride and then the darkness and relative silence of the narrow hallway the volume and color in the room was a complete shock.

The room was massive and completely decorated in shades of gold and purple and other bright and buttery hues. Over two stories tall the room looked as if it could fit into its own castle, even though the chateau itself was huge she would never have guessed that something of this magnitude could fit inside its' walls. It was bright but the lighting was subdued as it was fully dark outside now, and it gave an otherworldly glow to the revelers that packed the floor, swirling along the dance floor in their expensive gowns and dress clothes. Miette wondered briefly if she would even be able to find where the instruments were, let alone if Genevieve could find them in this churning mass of people.

Sudden inspiration came to Miette and she grinned at herself and lifted herself up on the balls of her feet to get a better range of hearing. She could listen for the music of course, and simply follow the sound. She could hear music already playing, as there would have to be music with people already dancing, and she turned around and walked along the wall so as not to disturb the dancers, and finally found the musicians clustered together opposite the entrance to the dance hall. As she and Genevieve were only guests invited to play they did not have a spot reserved for them, she would have to borrow an instrument from one of the performers. She would have to wait for them to stop before she approached them and introduced herself. She sighed and pressed herself against the wall, at least Genevieve could find her now. She felt a brief pang of fear as she realized she would be playing a harp or piano solo in front of so many, but she swallowed her fear (besides Genevieve would be singing) so she would not be completely alone. Still, her thought raced at the thought. It was a good opportunity for her. Perhaps if she became well known enough she could become a legitimate performer, and even study music in Paris! Of course that thought only made her heart race with excitement and she began to feel dizzy from it. Her ankle had also begun a dull throb and she hoped it wouldn't get worse. But even if it did she would still play, nothing, not even fear, could dissuade her from playing.

Miette shook her head quickly as if she could shake out her trepidation and busied herself with taking in the surroundings. It was a truly massive and grand hall. She felt a little sad, and she wished that she could have danced even if she had not dressed for it or had hurt her ankle. Her simple dress was enough for playing an instrument, but it looked like a torn shroud when compared to the other dresses these women were wearing. Besides, what were the odds that some young man would ask her to dance? She smiled and blushed at the thought. At that moment her attention was drawn to the second story foyer that towered above the dance hall, or more specifically to the people that were on that balcony. They were five figures, and with a sudden realization Miette knew them to be the lords of this castle, how she knew this she wasn't sure. What struck her most about them was their complete stillness, as if they were living statues. And the way they looked at the people below them, with such intensity that she felt she would hate to be the focus of that intense scrutiny. Then with a shot of adrenaline she realized that she would have to meet them. They had invited her and her family to the castle personally; it would be rude not to introduce herself to them.

She stared at them then, trying to get a better idea of what they looked like even though the distance was making it hard for her to make out specific characteristics. Even from a distance she could tell that they were attractive and dressed in expensive and colorful clothes. One of them seemed to be a woman as well. She felt herself leaving the safety of the wall, her body unconsciously trying to get closer to the people on the foyer. Suddenly, almost as if she could feel eyes watching her, the woman looked right at her with such an intense stare that Miette gasped and pressed herself back against the wall. She hit with a slight thump that sent vibrations through her body and caused her already sore ankle to start throbbing in earnest. The image of the woman on the foyer was seared into her brain even though she hadn't gotten a clear view of her. All she got was a vision of curled and blonde hair, and large eyes that bore into her soul.

Miette closed her eyes, shook her head lightly, and looked back up at the foyer. But the figures that adorned it were gone. She sighed but wasn't sure if it was relief or disappointment. Her heart was fluttering and she brought her hand to her chest. Why was she reacting this way? It must be nerves she told herself uncertainly, that and nothing more. She gave a small laugh at herself and started to scan the crowd for Genevieve and Reginald.

At that moment the music stopped and the dancers on the floor ceased their dancing and turned towards the center of the floor, breaking into a loud round of applause. Miette began clapping too out of sheer habit before even realizing what everyone was clapping for. Her heart caught in her throat as she saw that everyone in the hall was clapping for the Lords of the castle. The same five figures that she had seen standing on the foyer were now gracefully standing in the center of the room taking in the applause like a normal person takes in air. Her hands froze mid clap, and her heart began racing even faster as she looked at the strange figures before her. Her first thought was that, perhaps, this is what an angel might look like. She had never seen more entrancing figures. They were exotic and completely ethereal in their beauty and she stared at them openly.

They were all men, except for one woman who stood in the center and smiled pleasantly at the crowd. The tallest of the men stepped forward and began saying something that she couldn't quite hear. His voice was deep, and she could hear the strength in his voice even if she could not make out the words. Whatever he said was well received because the crowd clapped and began to move again, either to once again begin dancing or to come forward and thank the Lords for the wonderful evening. Miette gasped and clamped her hand over her heart as she realized that Genevieve was one of the women moving to greet their hosts. Her cousin looked radiant, and she had a look of utter adoration on her face as she gazed up into the face of the tall gentlemen with gold hair. Of course Genevieve would be one of the first to approach the nobleman, she was attracted to power and beauty and this man seemed to have it in large abundance.

Miette chose that moment to walk forward as well; she wasn't going to leave her cousin alone with these enigmatic strangers that made her heart flutter like a trapped bird. She had no idea why she felt so alarmed at the thought of one of these Lords, or Lady, paying any attention to her cousin. But the thought of how predatory they looked as they gazed down at the crowd made her uneasy in a way she had never felt. Genevieve had moved even closer to the tall man and offered him her hand. He smiled and took Genevieve's hand into his own to kiss it. Miette watched her cousin blush at this. She reached her blonde cousin and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to let her know she was behind her.

Genevieve turned around slowly and smiled at her darker haired cousin, the faint trace of the blush still on her cheeks. "My dear cousin! I was beginning to worry about you! Please, let me introduce you to our charming host, Lord Kamijo." Miette turned and curtsied to the Lord Kamijo more out of habit than conscious thought. This close to the man the feeling if intense scrutiny was even worse; and she wondered why no one else felt it. She looked up and tried to meet the gaze of Kamijo, tried and failed and ended up staring at his lips instead. This close to her his eyes were almost too intense to look at and she felt like she was a mouse caught before a cat. It was too much for Miette; she curtsied again and began to back away. "Please excuse me, my Lord," and she began to turn without even lifting her eyes, but before she could turn away someone moved to block her. It was the only woman from their entourage, the same blonde woman she had seen on the foyer.

Miette froze and her vision seemed to narrow. For a split second the only thing that seemed to exist was the figure before her. She was breathtakingly beautiful and she looked Miette dead in the eye with a look that was almost like a dare. Miette felt her head become light and her bruised ankle give way and she began to fall, but the woman stepped in beside her and wrapped her arm around her shoulder to keep her from falling over. It brought their faces to within kissing distance and Miette felt herself both blush and pale at the contact. The woman seemed amused at her reaction. For a second Miette was afraid that this strange woman would try to kiss her. But the moment passed and she heard Kamijo speak in a clear and deep voice. "And here, let me introduce you to Hizaki." The woman, Hizaki, smiled at her with a genuine and beautiful smile and Miette felt something inside her become weak, as if she were entranced. "How do you do," Miette finally managed to say to the woman still supporting her. Hizaki didn't say anything in reply but gave her a firm squeeze on the shoulder as a response. "Pardon me, but, your name is Japanese isn't it? Or at least from the orient or some other part of Asia?" Hizaki's smile faltered a bit but she did not let go of Miette's shoulder and gave a small nod. Miette's fear eased slightly and was replaced with curiosity. She could speak French, Latin, and English and was decent in German. But she had never met anyone from Japan, and had never heard the language spoken; only read about it in books. Perhaps Hizaki couldn't speak her language, but if that was true than way did she know what questions she was asking? Was there another reason Hizaki didn't answer her?

Miette squirmed in her embrace but Hizaki did not relinquish her hold. In fact she pulled her slightly closer, and Miette felt a blush creep up her neck again at having such close contact to someone she did not know for so long. Hizaki seemed to be even more amused at this and began to guide her back towards the musicians. She wondered how Hizaki knew she was a musician without her having formally introduced herself. At that realization she said quickly stammered out an introduction. "My name is Miette LaFleur, my Lady. Please forgive me for meeting you like this. I think I strained my ankle coming out of the carriage this evening." Hizaki turned at this and gave Miette a concerned look. She set her down on a cushioned chair and made a motion for her to show her the sore ankle. Miette sat down heavily with a grunt. Hizaki knelt before her, spreading her dress out demurely and motioned for Miette to give her the injured foot, she carefully extended her left foot for her to inspect. Her earlier fear had started to fade, until she looked up to find her cousin Genevieve hand in hand with Kamijo, dancing in the center of the room. The thought that he was eyeing her cousin like a mouse did not leave her mind.

A gentle touch on her ankle brought her back to Hizaki kneeling down to examine her foot. She carefully slipped off her shoe and her touch was cautious and warmer than it should be. Miette felt herself shiver as Hizaki gently ran her fingers over her bare skin. She had no idea why she was having this reaction to another woman. Hizaki looked up at her suddenly and gave her calf a quick squeeze and stood up. Now she regarded Miette openly. Miette in turn looked up and tried to meet her eyes. She had never been under this intense of a scrutiny before and she felt her body pale under it at the same time the blush in her cheeks deepened.

She was proud of herself though, she did not back away from the gaze. Finally Hizaki smiled at her as if she had passed some kind of test and gestured to the instruments. It seemed that she wanted Miette to play and she was happy to oblige, anything to avoid the intense eyes of Hizaki. "My I play the harp, my Lady? It is my favorite instrument and I am quite good at it." Hizaki gave her another smile and helped Miette stand up so she could walk to the harp. Luckily for her its owner had not returned, but she felt bad at not having asked permission to touch such an expensive piece of equipment. Miette turned and placed her hands on the harp in front of her. She lovingly plucked the strings and took a moment to admire the beautiful workmanship that went into an instrument like this. And then she began to play. She started with the Three Harp sonatas by Sophia Dussek, beginning with Sonata in Bb major and ending with the Sonata in C Minor. After that she played the Barber of Seville Overture by Gioacchino Rossin before moving on to the Grand Concerto for harp by Jan Ladislav Dussek. Finally, she completed the set with the Nocturne by Auguste Vern. Even though it was traditionally meant to be accompanied with a violin and flute, it was her favorite and she couldn't resist playing it at least once. Perhaps it was the atmosphere or the pain that began to throb more prominently in her ankle but she had never been this absorbed in her playing before. She must have gone on for some time because when she stopped a small crowd had gathered and gave a polite and enthusiastic applause when she stopped.

She turned and stood up and almost lost her footing again but Hizaki was there again, wrapping her arm around Miette protectively as she bowed to those who had been listening. The full orchestra had not stopped and for that she was grateful. Her single harp piece would not have been enough music to fill the hall, but it had been enough to entertain Hizaki and the small crowd that had gathered. Besides, she needed Genevieve as an accompaniment. At the thought she looked around for her cousin and couldn't find her anywhere. She couldn't spot Kamijo either. The fear began to return that something was amiss when she felt warm breathe on her neck. She turned and looked at the woman, but Hizaki's eyes seemed drawn to her neck. Miette opened her mouth to say something but Hizaki looked up and met her gaze. There was a look of hunger and lust in those eyes that stopped her words in her throat. Hizaki let out a long sigh and brought her face close into Miette's and kissed her. It was not a long or passionate kiss, but Miette could feel a strange numbness spreading throughout her body. It did not feel like a woman's kiss and she wondered if Hizaki was a woman at all. When the kiss ended Miette didn't know what to say, so she said nothing and looked away. But she could feel Hizaki looking at her expectantly. Perhaps she wanted Miette to say something? She turned and looked the blonde in the eye. "Does this mean you enjoyed my performance?" Hizaki laughed and leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. Miette laughed as well and began to feel more at ease around her new and strange friend.

For the rest of the night Hizaki stayed by her side. To anyone looking at the two of them it would seem like Hizaki was simply supporting Miette who had a bruised ankle. The closeness of the contact with Hizaki was intoxicating to Miette and she could not understand why. Never before had she felt this way towards a woman. But the physical contact between them softened and eventually melted away her fear until all she felt to Hizaki was a growing affection and admiration. She was so graceful and determined in her movements. She politely declined many offers to dance just to stay by Miette's side. She also never spoke to Miette and it only deepened the mystery she was beginning to feel for this strange woman. She had to admit that the attention was flattering. If it had been a young man so attached to Miette her Uncle and cousin would probably ask when they should send out wedding invitations.

The night wore on and the pain became more insistent and Miette had to suppress a groan. Hizaki wrapped her arm around the others waist and looked concerned. She felt light headed and dizzy, and when she touched for forehead she could feel a fever building beneath her skin. Hizaki took both of Miette's' hands into her own and kissed her wrists. Miette felt her pulse quicken at the touch and then felt embarrassed. Hizaki helped her to her feet and gestured to a hallway that was off to the side of the dance hall. Miette instinctively knew what she meant. Hizaki was trying to lead her to one of the spare rooms that populated the chateau. It had been the intention of Miette and her cousins to stay there that night anyway; it was too long of a ride back home in the dark when the riders and horses couldn't see. She was certain that many of the guests tonight were doing the same. She let Hizaki lead her away from the party and down the darkened hallway. The silence of her companion was growing on her and she did not feel the need to speak.

The hallway itself was long and completely quite. They had walked long enough that even the sound of the party did not reach them. It appeared her room was on the opposite side of the castle. Hizaki slowly put her arm around Miette and she did not resist, but instead welcomed the warmth of someone so close. They passed by long and ornate windows and outside a storm had started to gather and build in force. Lightning flashed and thunder rattled the windows as they walked. Just as Miette started to think that they might be walking all night Hizaki stopped at a doorway and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze to let her know they had arrived.

The room itself was probably small by the standards of the chateau, but it was much larger than the room that she and Genevieve shared in their home. It had a large and ornate canopy bed with a matching wardrobe and mirror. A soft looking armchair and a fireplace completed the room. "It's beautiful! Will I have it all to myself or will Genevieve be joining me tonight?" Hizaki just gave her a slight smile but did not give a definitive answer. Instead she went and sat down on the bed, spreading out her dress and giving Miette an unreadable look. Miette took the opportunity to hobble to the fireplace and inspect its contents. She was happy to find that someone had already stocked it with wood and kindling and supplied a tinder box. She knelt down and struck a match against the side of the fireplace and lit it, then stood back and watched the fire spread. Satisfied that it would burn comfortably she backed away and went towards the bed to sit beside Hizaki.

Outside the rain continued to pour and the lightning became louder and more insistent. The wind drove the rain hard against the rooms' single window until the sound filled the room. Other than that the only sound was the crackling fire. Miette was glad she had started the fire, not only for the light it provided but it was rapidly becoming cold and she shivered as she settled down next to Hizaki. She turned to look at the older woman and tried to read the expression on her face. The light from the fire cast strange shadows on Hizakis' face and kept her eyes concealed. Hizaki looked at Miette but she still could not see her eyes. Miette smiled at Hizaki and bowed her head slightly, "Thank you for putting me in this room for tonight, and for helping me walk to the room. I don't want to detain you from your guests any more than I already have. If you're worried about me please don't be, I'm sure I'll be better by in the morning." She finished her sentence and didn't know what else to say. Hizaki reached out her hand and delicately touched her cheek with the tips of her fingers before standing up and walking towards the door. Miette sighed and fell backwards into the bed, letting the softness of it encompass her while closing her eyes. She heard the door close and then the bolt of the door being thrown. Miette opened her eyes and sat back up in bed and looked towards the doorway. Hizaki still had her hand on the lock, the one she had tuned to lock them both inside the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Miette propped herself up on her elbows and gave Hizaki a curious look and tried to ignore her heart which was starting to beat rapidly. Hizaki started moving towards the bed and Miette unconsciously shrunk away from the approaching figure. She stopped at the foot of the bed and looked down at Miette's' prone form. She had pushed herself the rest of the way up and looked quizzically at Hizaki. At that moment her hand shot out and began stroking Miettes hair, taking it down from the bindings that fastened it away from her neck. Hizaki pulled away all the clips and sat back down on the bed next to her and ran her fingers through her long and now unbound hair. It was slightly unruly and tangled, and Hizaki pulled gently to get them lose.

At the touch of Hizakis' fingers she froze and a comfortable warmth and something close to numbness spread throughout her body. At the same time each gentle stroke in her hair gave something like an electric shock to her body. She trembled at the contact but found that she was enjoying it. Hizaki gently pulled on the hair and stretched it to its full length. When completely down Miette's' hair would stretch well below her buttocks, and was full and a rich brown. Hizaki held the hair up and in the flickering fire light the subtle red highlights in her hair shimmered. She gently let go of her hair and let it fall against her back. Hizaki then gestured to her own bound and curled hair and Miette realized she wanted the same done to her own locks. Hizaki turned so Miette could reach her hair, and she reached out trembling fingers and began to undo the clips in the blonde curls. Her hair was incredibly soft and Miette carefully separated the curls and ran her fingers through her hair to comb it out. This time it was Hizakis' turn to shiver and she even let out a soft moan of pleasure at having her hair stroked. The moan was curiously deep.

Miette hesitated at the sound, it didn't sound like a woman. Hizaki turned when she didn't feel the fingers moving in her hair anymore. Hizaki cocked her head to the side and looked at Miette, the light from the fire was still casting strange shadows on her face. "Why did you stop?" Miette gasped and turned her back to Hizaki, the voice was deep and not at all feminine. She had finally realized why Hizaki hadn't spoken to her before now. Hizaki was a man. She was locked in this room while a storm raged outside with a man, whose intentions Miette did not yet know. She jerked slightly as she felt Hizaki encircle her arms around her waist and rested her (his) head on Miette's' shoulder. "I asked why you stopped." Hizaki whispered it gently into Miette's' ear, and gently moved aside her hair so he could kiss her neck. "Did I scare you? Is that it?" He kissed her neck again and brought up a hand to pull the rest of her hair away and draped it over her shoulder.

Miette finally found her voice after the sudden shock of finding out Hizakis' true gender. "Please, what is it that you want from me? Why did you hide who you really were? Why did you lock the door?" Hizaki laughed a deep throated laugh before answering her. "My intentions are you, I locked the door so we would not be disturbed, and the reason for concealing my gender is a story that would take a whole night to tell."

As the last syllable left Hizaki he grabbed Miette by the throat and forced her head back before she could even cry out for help. He sank his fangs quickly into her throat and Miette froze and her eyes rolled back as a feeling that was both hot and cold began to seep into her body. Hizaki lapped contentedly at the wound in her neck and purred like a cat as the red liquid splashed against his lips. But he stopped himself quickly, he didn't want to take too much from her, he wasn't done with her just yet. Hizaki gently pushed Miette back against the covers on the bed and placed his hand over her heart, feeling it pound with each heart beat as she took slow and deep breathes. Miette felt the strange sensation from the feeding overtake her and she let it overwhelm her senses without really trying to stop it. Hizaki brought up his hands and slowly began to undo the ribbons and lace that held her dress together. Miette closed her eyes and made no move to stop him. "What have you done to me, Hizaki?" He grinned down at her pale face with its closed eyes. "I only took a taste, and I am not completely done yet." Hizaki carefully pulled the last of the ribbons free and then lifted Miette to her feet. She stood next to the bed and Hizaki pulled the dress away from her shoulders and let the dress fall.

Hizaki embraced her suddenly in an all-encompassing hug with one arm around her waist and the other on the back of her head, with her fingers gently massaging her scalp. "If you want me to stop I will, I've already fed and I can leave you here to sleep, and in the morning you will think this was all a dream. I might take sustenance by force but I won't do the same to your innocence." Miette melted into the embrace and wrapped her own arms around Hizakis' neck. She felt entranced, like she was inside a waking dream, everything had a sense of unreality. "Why me then? Why chose me and not someone else from the dance?" Miette whispered it against his ear and ignored the dull ache in her neck that reminded her that Hizaki was more than a man, but a monster that drank the blood of the living.

Hizaki held her tighter as he answered her in a soft voice. "I chose you because what I really am is lonely; I wanted a companion and not some simple meal. I'm lonely Miette," he pulled away from the embrace suddenly and took her head in his hands. "I just wanted you, someone who held a mutual love of music, someone kind and perceptive. You felt ill at ease tonight, yes? It's rare for a normal person to sense our intentions; we usually keep them well shrouded. That alone made you different. I could sense it when I saw you staring at me on the balcony. I could sense a kindred spirit, and you didn't turn away from me when I kissed you in the dancehall so I thought you felt it too." Miette shook her head, "I didn't know what I was feeling, my heart kept racing and I felt like I was a mouse caught by a hungry cat." Hizaki smiled at her admonishment, "So you did feel it then."

Hizaki embraced her again and seemed to be enjoying the simple contact between them. "Please tell me that I can stay with you tonight, that I can have you, I want someone to hold, and to touch." He nuzzled himself against her neck and kissed the wound he had made then gave it a gentle lick catching the stray droplets of blood that had emerged while they were talking. Miette held her breathe, but inside her body she felt a hard knot of lust bloom in her gut. She was still a virgin. She had been kissed before and held, but never like this and not by someone so desperate for physical contact. She thought about what would happen if she said no. She thought about what would happen if she said yes.

Miette made her decision and started to shake, but this time it wasn't from the cold. "You can stay with me tonight; I'll let you be with me if that's what you truly want." Hizaki pulled away from the embrace again and stared into her face as if he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. But then he slowly brought his face close to hers and kissed her. It was the first truly passionate kiss Miette had ever experienced but she could tell that it was not the same for Hizaki. She didn't know how to respond to this passion, so she let Hizaki lead the way. His lips were full and incredibly soft and his tongue darted into her mouth as his hands moved to undo the buttons on her corset. She in turn began to undo the knots on Hizakis' gown. Hizaki moaned with pleasure as he felt her hands taking off his garments. She managed to get the rest of the ribbons undone and grasped the shoulders on the dress and let it fall to the ground. Hizaki was not wearing a corset underneath the gown, or anything else for that matter. She had never seen a man naked before. Especially not one as fully aroused as Hizaki appeared to be as he stood in the pale glow of firelight. He was already fully erect and he grinned at her as he saw her expression. Before she could further react he pulled the last of her clothing away and she stood naked before him as well. He grabbed her again and kissed her deeply, she could feel his erection against her stomach as she held her tight. Suddenly he picked her up and carried her the last few feet to the bed and laid her down on the cool sheets.

Miette didn't quite know what to expect next. She thought he might climb on top of her and penetrate her; at least that was how she had heard other women describe the sexual experience. But that's not what happened. He lay beside her instead and slowly raked his nails over her stomach and bare breasts. She let out a moan at the touch. He smiled at this and began to kiss her chest and her breasts. Miette felt completely exposed and at the mercy of this man and she had hoped she made the right choice. He stopped kissing her stomach and moved off the bed to stand above her naked body. He placed his hands on her knees and began to spread her legs apart, and Miette closed her eyes and let out a shaky breathe.

She felt him spread out her legs further and then the bed moved as he crawled back on top of it and of her. She tensed and Hizaki finished positioning himself but he did not enter her yet. "I want you to look at me Miette." He said it quietly and she opened her eyes to look into his. He placed his hands on either side of her and kissed her deeply. "I could tell in your blood that you're still a virgin, so I will be gentle with you my sweet." Miette kissed him back just as deeply and let out a tiny scared gasp as he finally began to enter her body. He was delicately slow and he gave her body plenty of time to adjust to his entrance. There was no pain, only a slowly building pressure as he came further inside her body. Her breath quickened and Hizaki watched the expressions on her face and his eyes seemed to glow. He groaned at the contact himself and buried his face against her neck and gave her light nips. He didn't break the skin but she could feel his teeth sharp against her skin.

He was now fully inside her and he made no further moves as he relished the feeling of being inside a human. He shuddered violently and Miette wrapped her arms around his back to stop the shuddering. He then began to move again, a slow thrusting that made Miette bite her lip and arch her back. This seemed to excite him because he started to go faster and fastened his teeth on her neck and drew a slight trickle of blood that she could feel flowing down her neck. The blood only excited him more and he finally thrust into her violently and she cried out and dug her nails into his back. The sudden pain of it made her eyes water and Hizaki immediately stopped and gave her a worried look. She nodded to let him know she was alright and he began to thrust again, this time with more control and he licked up the blood he had spilled but didn't try to bite her again.

Miette moaned again but this time with pleasure and Hizaki grinned at her to see her reaction. He kissed her again and toyed with her lower lip as she arched her back again and their breath became faster. Hizaki then moved her arms and wrapped them completely around Miette's' body and she knew that he was close to a climax. She could still feel the strength in his body and knew he could go on, but suspected he was keeping this encounter brief because her body was still new to these sensations. She felt him shudder and he cried out as he gripped her tightly and they arched together before collapsing back onto the bed. Hizaki rolled off the top of her and she watched his chest rise and fall. His eyes were closed and sweat glistened on his face as he grinned slightly. She watched him and felt the ache in her neck from where he had bitten her and the pain deep inside her where he had taken her virginity.

Hizaki opened his eyes and looked over at her and extended his arm to let her know that he wanted to hold her. She crawled over to him and nestled herself against his chest as his arm wrapped around her. She reached up and touched his face and kissed her hand. Miette fell asleep against his chest feeling his heartbeat.

In the morning Miette awoke and the sun was shining through the windows. She was still naked but during the night she must have crawled under the covers. She was also alone. And, as she began to push the covers back, she was also incredibly sick.


	4. Chapter 4

Miette pulled herself out of bed and almost fell on the floor; she grabbed the side of the bed and used it to steady herself before trying to take a few steps. She was wobbly and her legs felt very weak, her whole body felt weak. It was a sickness like she's never experienced before, she felt completely drained of energy. It was then that she noticed a freshly pressed linen night shirt laying on the bed, as if waiting for her. Someone, and it must have been Hizaki, had set it out for her. She felt herself tremble from fatigue and shock over last night. What had she done…had it all been a dream? Or a nightmare. Whatever it was, it had already been done. She made her way to the foot of the bed and grabbed the nightshirt, at least she could cover herself, it would make her feel less vulnerable. She quickly slipped on the nightdress and let the clean linen smooth itself against her skin. When that was done she looked around the room and tried to assess the situation.

Outside, it was still gloomy and there was a light drizzle that still poured from the sky. And on a table by the window a small tray of food and water had been set out for her, again it was probably Hizaki who did this. If it was him, he must be very light on his feet for him to leave the bed and the room without her noticing. And then return again with food and a nightshirt for her to wear. A wave of hunger overcame her and she hurried to table and poured herself a glass of water. She gulped down the water and almost moaned at the sensation of it going down her throat. She poured herself another and didn't stop until the tankard was empty. Then she turned her attention to the food, some fruit and cheese, and within minutes it was gone as well. She was glad that no one had seen her eat; she was starving and probably looked like a beast devouring a meal. Even though she felt full and slightly more alert, she didn't feel any less tired and went to sit back down on the bed and pulled the covers over her to try and conserve her body heat. Sometime during the night the fire had gone out, and there was a crispness in the air, and she didn't want to make her illness any worse by being exposed to the cold.

She looked over at the door, wondering if she would see Hizaki that day. Not to mention her Uncle and Genevieve. Did they know where she was? Did she even know what part of the chateau she was in? She knew she was far away from the party hall, but that was all. She held her head in her hands and massaged her temples, what had she gotten into? At least for now, she was safe, or seemed to be. A sudden onset of fatigue gripped her and her neck started to throb where she'd been bitten. She touched it gingerly but it was very sore. She felt herself pale as she remembered the most important part of Hizaki, he wasn't entirely human. Oddly enough she didn't panic at this, she merely accepted it, panic wouldn't help her at all now. Also, she wasn't afraid of Hizaki. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt no menace from him. And with that realization another wave of fatigue overtook her, and she sank back down into the bed, pulled the covers over herself; and fell back to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Miette awoke slowly, as if she was rising out of a gentle fog. She was not immediately completely aware of her surroundings, only that she could sense that there were other people in the room. She opened her eyes was greeted by the sight of Hizaki, sitting demurely on the bed with his hand lightly touching her wrist. He was dressed in a beautiful and ornate cream and black colored dress and his hair was simply adorned and framed his face. If he was feeling any worse after last night she could not see it in any way. He gave her a small and happy smile, but he looked nervously over her shoulder at something she couldn't see. She turned her head and gasped. There was someone else on her bed. The irritated and scowling face of the Lord of the Castle, Kamijo greeted her. He looked down at Miette with a look that was equal parts irritation and amusement.

Miette tried to sit up and say something, but the only thing that came out was a slight choking sound. She felt the covers shift as Hizaki crawled into the bed with a concerned look on his face and put his arms around her. Hizaki looked to Kamijo with a pleading look. "Do you have to do this now? Can't you see that she is sick? The poor thing can't even speak." Kamijo just gave Hizaki a slight appraising look and reached and took Miette's hand, with surprisingly delicacy, and brought her hand to his mouth. She thought that maybe he was going to kiss it, but then he opened his mouth to reveal his fangs and took a light nip on her fingers; drawing a small bead of blood that he licked off her skin. Miette didn't move while this happened, she didn't want to provoke him. Beside her Hizaki tensed and held on tighter to Miette, as if he half expected Kamijo to yank her out of the bed.

He swallowed the blood and placed her hand back on the covers of the bed and gave Hizaki a chastising look. "The girl is no longer a virgin; I can taste it in her blood." Hizaki blushed at this but stared the blonde man straight in the eye. "It's no business of yours what I do in private; I am free to do as I please, and with whom I please." Hizaki kissed Miette on the cheek, and brought her head to his chest so all she could see was the ornate beadwork on his dress. She herself was blushing furiously. This was a time when women simply didn't sleep with men that they weren't married too, and if the truth got out she would be a social pariah.

Kamijo got off the bed and walked towards the door with his arms crossed but his back straight and proud. He stopped and turned to face the two people in the bed. "That's true, I can't tell you what to do, but this could endanger every one of us." He scowled at Hizaki and uncrossed his arms and his eyes seemed to glow. "And because of that what you did was selfish, and dangerous! Do you intend to kill this girl? Or change her?"

Miette looked up at Hizakis face and she saw defiance and a small amount of fear. "Hizaki, what does he mean? What are you going to do to me?" Hizaki didn't answer but hugged Miette tighter to his chest. Kamijo let out a sharp and cruel laugh, and turned his back on them and started to walk out the door then stopped. "I am going to send in the girls Uncle and her cousin; I suggest that you get off the bed Hizaki." And with those final words he walked out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Despite the fact that Miette was sick, could barely speak and had trouble moving, she still tried to climb out of bed to greet her family. Hizaki had gotten out of bed and sat down by a chair by the fire, where he sat demurely and looked into the flames. He wasn't speaking or even looking at her. He stared at the fire as if he was lost in thought, but when Miette tried to get out of bed he was up and quickly at her side, a hand on her shoulder keeping her from trying to move more than she had too. He shook his head and had a pleading look in his eyes. He didn't want her to exert herself. Miette was touched at his concern and patted his hand to reassure him.

Her Uncle came to her first and she reached out her arms to him and he embraced her in an all-encompassing hug. "I didn't know where you had gone last night! We couldn't find you, and Genevieve lost you after she had introduced you to Kamijo." Miette felt terrible. She hadn't meant for anyone to worry about her. But of course what else could have done? She had gone missing in a strange home without letting anyone know where she had gone. But someone must have told them where she was, this gave her hope, if she was a prisoner here no one would have bothered on informing her family that she was still here. They would have denied knowing anything about her whereabouts and simply thrown away the key to her room.

Her Uncle rubbed her back as if she were a child. "But what is this? You are deathly pale and sick. What caused all this?" Her Uncle asked her, and then he pulled away the sheets to examine her ankle. Miette was glad that she had put on the nightdress. Otherwise her Uncle would unknowingly be exposing her naked body. The thought made her giggle even though it was completely inappropriate. Her Uncle examined her foot, and even though it was swollen, she knew it probably wasn't the cause of her sudden sickness. She tugged the neck of her night dress closer to her skin, hoping her Uncle wouldn't find the bite marks dotting the skin.

"I am so sorry that I disappeared last night, my ankle started to hurt last night and..Lady Hizaki brought me to this room to rest." She looked at Hizaki when she said this and her Uncle turned and gave Hizaki a grateful nod and smile. Hizaki gave a polite curtsey as a response and winked at Miette. She blushed at the wink but turned her head so her Uncle couldn't see it.

"As you can see dear sir, your niece is fine, if a little under the weather." Miette jumped at the voice and turned to its source, already recognizing who it was. Kamijo was in the doorway leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. He looked completely self-assured and handsome. And Genevieve was hanging onto his shoulder looking up at him with complete adoration. Her first instinct was to yank the girl away from him. But she stayed in bed and Kamijo laughed at her seeing the expression on her face. He walked to the bed with Genevieve still on his shoulder even though he didn't give her any acknowledgement at all.

He leaned forward and placed both hands flat on the covers and grinned at Miette. She didn't like his look at all, and it didn't help matters that Genevieve was giving her a jealous glare. He seemed far too confident, but then why shouldn't he? He was in complete control of the situation. "I have already informed your Uncle that since you are too sick to travel that you will stay here until you are fully recovered. I insisted on it in fact." He gave her a small smile and she cringed. Genevieve looked enraged. "Then I will stay too! I don't see why I have to go; I don't want to be away from you my Lord!" She gave him what she thought was a pleading look but really she just came off as a spoiled child. Her Uncle looked shocked at her behavior and she saw color rise in his cheeks from embarrassment. "Now, really Genevieve, we've already talked about this. We can't impose on them any more than we already have. "Her Uncle kept glancing at Kamijo, and from the look in his eyes she could tell that he was as wary of him as she was. She looked quizzically at her cousin, she didn't know why she was acting like that, but realization hit her suddenly. Perhaps Hizaki wasn't the only person that had a sleeping companion last night.

Kamijo seemed to read her mind at that moment and winked at her, and gave her cousins' back a suggestive rub. It seems she was right and she wanted to punch him in the face. If he had slept with Genevieve it would have been nothing like what she had experienced with Hizaki. And she also saw no bite marks, so he must not have fed. If he had she was sure that her cousin would be dead. She was certain that he had just used her and was now disposing of her.

Kamijo patted Genevieve's hand in a very patronizing manner. "Now my dear, you should listen to you father. We will see each other soon. You will have to come to collect your cousin soon anyway." Her cousin didn't seem convinced and kept shaking her head and casting glares at Miette. She looked like she was going to say something but Kamijo put a finger to her lips to silence her and Miette saw her cousins eyes cloud over as if she were hypnotized. Perhaps she was, she wouldn't put anything past the lord of the castle. Her cousin nodded then and smiled. Whatever it was it seemed to be working.

Her Uncle moved from the bed and went and put a protective arm around Genevieve. "I thank you again my Lord, in a few days we will be back for Miette." He looked over at the girl still in bed. "I know they will take good care of you, and in the meantime you must write to us, yes?" Miette smiled and nodded. "Of course I will, I will be back on my feet very soon I am sure." She gave them a smile that she hoped would put them at ease, it seemed to work with her Uncle but Genevieve was still lost in a reverie. Her Uncle looked back the Kamijo. "We will be taking our leave then, please take good care of her for us." Her Uncle gave her one last glance then hurried them through the door with the Lord of the castle following behind. Kamijo closed the door behind them and gave her a smile that showed his fangs, if it was his attempt at being playful she didn't appreciate it.

When the door closed Hizaki climbed back onto the bed and slid under the covers with her clothes and all. She gripped onto his chest and held on. She felt like she should be upset but she didn't have the energy anymore to feel anything expect sick. So Hizaki held her and she listened to the wind outside and the sound of rain as it started to storm again.


End file.
